If you're looking for pretty party decor or a simple way to add a pop of flowers to your space (that won't wilt), make your own peony-style paper flowers with the help of coffee filters. You can pick up a stack at the dollar store, which makes this DIY [1] really cheap. Fill a vase with finished flowers, wrap around silverware for fun place settings, or make several for a pretty toss bouquet [2].
What You'll Need:
- Coffee filters
- Floral stem wire
- Needle
- Chopstick (optional)
- Plate
- Plastic wrap
- Food coloring
- Vinegar
Directions:
- These flowers are so easy to make and seriously versatile. Count out a stack of 10 coffee filters, and pick one length of floral stem wire, which you can pick up at your local craft store.
- Use the craft needle to poke two holes through the middle of the coffee filters, around one inch apart from each other. Now thread one hole with the wire, hook it, and feed it through the other hole, almost like you're making one stitch.
- Pull around three inches of the wire through the hole and then twist it around itself to create the bud of the paper peony. You can also wrap the stem wire around a wooden chopstick or skewer for a solid stem.
- Now for the fun part! Start pulling together the individual coffee filters and scrunching them together, which creates the petals of the flower. Continue working until all the filters have been crumpled.
- Gently open any super squished layers, and your beautiful coffee filter peony is finished!
- But you can take it to the next level by adding some color. Wrap a plate with plastic wrap to protect it from staining and drip two to three drops of the desired colored food coloring. Cover with one teaspoon vinegar, which helps set the color in the coffee filter. You can add another teaspoon or so of water to thin the color as needed. Press the flower into the mixture.
- Lift the flower and let the food coloring drip from the petals. Just hang out for a minute or so.
- Wedge the end of the coffee filter peony in the corner of a cabinet, with the plastic-covered plate below it to catch any stray drips, and let dry overnight. Now you have colorful blooms that will never wilt!
Like our tinted glass jar vases? Here's the easy DIY [3]!